Taiwan’s Dragon Boat Festival ushers in hotels deals from Agoda

SINGAPORE – The Dragonboat Festival, or “Duanwu Festival,” is a highlight of Taiwan’s cultural events calendar.

SINGAPORE – The Dragonboat Festival, or “Duanwu Festival,” is a highlight of Taiwan’s cultural events calendar. Held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, this spectacular gala of dragon boat races never fails to attract huge crowds of tourists and locals.

Agoda.com, Asia’s global hotel booking site and part of the Nasdaq-listed Priceline.com Inc. (Nasdaq: PCLN), is drumming up excitement ahead of next month’s Dragon Boat Festival in Taiwan.

This year’s festival falls on June 6 and, as always, commemorates Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan was a poet and statesman from the Kingdom of Chu during China’s era of the Warring States period, circa 300 BC. This patriotic lyricist became a national hero when he jumped into the Miluo River, distraught after hearing of the fall of Chu’s capital city to a rival Qin army.

To mark the event, boat races are now held annually in Taipei, commemorating the attempts made to save Qu Yuan from his watery grave. As the fleets of dragon boats carve their way through the water, supporters on the banks bang loudly on drums in a symbolic gesture designed to scare away fish and other creatures that might feast on the hero’s remains.

Nowadays, the annual regatta is so highly regarded that it attracts rowing crews from around the world, eager to take part in the colorful contests. Visitors to Taipei, however, needn’t be part of a world-class rowing team to enjoy the many delights of Duanwu. For the majority of travelers, the festival provides the perfect snapshot of the intriguing history and heritage of this culturally-rich city.

For travelers who prefer eating to beating drums, the Duanwu Festival presents a fabulous opportunity to sample some of Taiwan’s best-loved seasonal delicacies. The most famous of these is zong zi: sticky rice dumplings flavored with egg, beans, meat, or nuts and wrapped in bamboo leaves. These handy little snacks are ubiquitous during the festival and form the culinary mainstay of thousands of riverside picnics.

Thanks to Agoda.com there’s never been a better time to visit Taipei to experience the amazing sights, sounds, and tastes of the annual Dragon Boat Festival. Following are some special deals in the top hotels in Taipei.

AGODA.COM TAIPEI DUANWU FESTIVAL DEALS

YOMI Hotel – 3 stars
Rates from US$80 per night. Minimum stay 2 nights – enjoy a 10% discount.
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei/yomi_hotel.html

Caesar Park Hotel – 5 stars
Rates from US$115 per night. Minimum stay 2 nights – enjoy a 10% discount.
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei/caesar_park_hotel.html

Taipei Garden Hotel – 5 stars
Rates from US$108 per night. Minimum stay 3 nights – enjoy a 30% discount.
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei/taipei_garden_hotel.html

City Inn Plus – 4 stars
HOT DEAL!! Rates from US$77 per night. Enjoy a 45% discount.
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei/taipei_garden_hotel.html

Park City Hotel – 4 stars
Rates from US$78 per night. Enjoy a 15% discount.
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei/park_city_hotel.html

Pacific Business Center Hotel – 4 stars
Rates from US$101 per night. Enjoy a 10% discount.
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei/pacific_business_center_hotel.html

Brother Hotel – 4 stars
Rates from US$99 per night. Minimum stay 2 nights – enjoy a 5% discount.
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei/brother_hotel.html

Howard The Suites Taipei – 4 stars
Rates from US$98 per night. Minimum stay 2 nights – enjoy a 10% discount.
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei/howard_the_suite_taipei.html

Eastern Beauty Hotel – 3 stars
Rates from US$72 per night. Minimum stay 3 nights – enjoy a 10% discount.
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei/eastern_beauty_hotel.html

Imperial Hotel – 5 stars
HOT DEAL!! Rates from US$96 per night. Enjoy a 45% discount.
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei/imperial_hotel.html

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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